IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO PEDAL LOCK ANTI-THEFT DEVICES FOR CARS

Abstract: A pedal lock anti-theft device for cars comprising two superimposed members, the upper member being formed of a cross bar or anchoring plate (10) provided with two slots (12) in which the shanks or levers of brake and clutch pedals are inserted, and the lower member being a second plate (11) rotatably mounted about a central shaft (16) received in a sleeve (17) integral with the upper plate (10) and provided at its upper end with a control handle (22) cooperating with a steeled padlock (25) and controlling the rotation of the lower plate (11) from a locked position, in which the lower plate is disposed under the pedals, to an opening or loosening position, in which said lower plate is parallel to the shanks of the pedals so as to allow the anti-theft device to be released after the opening of the steeled padlock.

Description: IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO PEDAL LOCK ANIT-THEFT DEVICES FOR CARS The present invention relates to the field of the anti- theft devices for cars. Anti-thefts can be divided at the present state of art into two large classes: electronic and mechanical anti- thefts. The first class includes the anti-thefts operating in the electrical equipment of the car in order to avoid the entry and/or the start of the engine with simultaneous optic and/or acoustic alarm signal. Such anti-thefts are very complex, expensive, and sometimes fall short of designers' and manufacturers' expectations as it is subject to frequent false alarms and failures which can also cause troubles or damages to the electrical equipment of the vehicles. Among the mechanical anti-thefts which can be of several types there are known the socalled "pedal-locks" aiming at preventing the illegitimate controls of the vehicle by locking brake and clutch pedals. Since such anti-theft device should be applied at the bottom near the floor of the vehicle, the handling thereof is in many cases rather troublesome. The aim of the present invention is of providing a very reliable pedal lock anti-theft device which can be easily used. According to the invention there is provided a pedal lock anti-theft device formed of two locking plates rotatably connected to a vertical shaft integral with one plate and provided with a control knob or handle which is located at the top in an easily accessible position and intended to provide for opening or locking such plates in cooperation with a steeled pin padlock. Still according to the invention such locking plates are formed of lower and upper members, the lower member being integral with the control shaft, and the upper member is provided with a pair of slots intended to receive the shanks of the two pedals and carries an axially superimposed sleeve in which such control shaft rotates a well as a C-shaped casing in which the steeled padlock is received, said padlock being provided with a pin engaging to a diametrical hole formed in said shaft and preventing the latter from rotating. The invention will now be described with reference to the annexed drawings which show by way of an illustrative, non-limitative example a preferred embodiment of the invention. In the drawings: Fig. 1 shows the pedal lock in the closure position with the padlock removed away for clarity purposes. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but provided with padlock. Fig. 3 shows the unlocking position allowing the anti- theft to be removed. With reference to Fig. 1 the anti-theft device is formed of two locking members or plates 10 and 11, the upper plate carrying a pair of slots 12 in which the shanks or levers 13 of pedals 14 and 15 shown by dashed lines are inserted. The horizontally placed, lower plate 11 is integral with a control shaft 16 rotatably supported by sleeve 17 carried by the upper plate 10. The two plates 10 and 11, therefore, are pivoted so that their axis of rotation is coincident with the geometric axis of the vertical shaft 16. The latter carries at its lower end an adjustable foot 18 capable of adjust the height of the lower plate 11 to the position of the pedals. In the same way, the upper plate 10 carries a second adjustable foot 19 and is integral with a strong casing 20 for a steeled padlock which will be described thereafter. Casing 20 is crossed by control shaft 16 in which a diametrical bore 21 is formed. At the upper end of shaft 16 there is provided a control handle 22 which can rotate between two positions, one of them being that of Fig. 1 with the calibrated bore 21 parallel to the upper plate 10, the other position being rotated by 90° to the first position and defined by the abutment between dowel 23 integral with control shaft 16 and stake 24 supported by casing 20. Located in the latter (see Fig. 2) is the steeled padlock 25 of the commercial type consisting of one block provided with a strong locking pin 26 controlled by lock 27. In the position of Fig. 2 (anti-theft locking position) the pin 26 of the padlock crosses the calibrated bore 21 of shaft 16 so that the two pedals are locked. For removing the pedal lock (Fig. 3) it is sufficient to open lock 27 with the relative key and to extract pin 26. Under such conditions, handle 22 can be rotated together with the lower plate 11 till it reaches a position rotated by 90° to the upper plate 10, where the pedal lock cab be easily disengaged and removed. In such position, as shown in Fig. 3, dowel 23 and stake 24 contact to each other. In order to install the pedal lock in the anti-theft position starting from the position of Fig. 3, it is sufficient to place the upper plate 10 with slots 12 astride of the pedal shanks, whereupon handle 21 is rotated by 90° until lower plate 11 reaches a position under plate 10, and locking pin of padlock 25 is pushed inwardly till it comes to the stop. Now the key can be extracted from the padlock and the device is operating. The present invention has been illustrated and described according to a preferred embodiment thereof, however, it should be understood that construction modifications can be made by a skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present industrial invention.

Claims: Claims 1. A pedal lock anti-theft device for cars wherein it includes a pair of locking members (10, 11) rotatably connected by a vertical control shaft (16) defining two positions of said members, i.e. an engaged and disengaged positions, respectively. 2. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said locking members (10, 11) are formed of two plates, the upper plate (10) carrying a pair of slots (12) intended to receive the shanks or levers of the pedals, and the lower plate (11) being capable of rotating under control with respect to the first plate, so as to take on a locking position in which both plates have a mating side, as well as a loosening position in which the lower plate (11) is rotated by 90° to the other plate so as to allow the whole assembly to be released. 3. The device as claimed in claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said control shaft (16) is located vertically, is integral with the lower plate (11) , and is pivotally connected to a sleeve (17) carried by the upper plate (10). 4. The device as claimed in claims 1 to 3 , characterized in that control shaft (16) carries at the upper end a control handle (22) located in a comfortable position for the driver, and terminates at the base in an adjustable foot (18) to adjust the height of the locking plates (10, 11) to the position of the car pedals. 5. The device as claimed in claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the upper plate (10) carries a second adjustable foot (19) and a casing (20) for a steeled padlock (25) provided with extractable pin and safety lock (27) . 6. The device as claimed in claims 1 to 5, characterized in that control shaft (16) crosses said casing (20) and is provided with a calibrated diametrical bore (21) formed in a position corresponding to the pin (26) of the padlock. 7. The device as claimed in claim 1 to 6, characterized in that the rotation by 90° of control shaft (16) from the locked position to the loosen position and vice versa is defined by a pair of stops formed of a dowel (23) integral with shaft (16) and a stake (24) integral with the casing (20) of the padlock.

Inventors: GUSMANO MARIO, GUSMANO, MARIO
Applicants: GUSMANO MARIO, STRANO ANTONIO ICAM SNC, GUSMANO, MARIO, I.CA.M. S.N.C. DI STRANO ANTONIO & C.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: B60R25
IPC codes: B60R25